Happiness Is....

Updating your wardrobe for cheap!  I admit it, when the seasons change, I always want to update my clothes – at least a little bit!  I’m not into keeping up with the latest trends, but it is nice to have something different to add to the mix!

The other day I went to my favorite thrift store and picked up some great updates for my wardrobe.  I got three cute skirts and a pair of capris, all for $7! 

I love the buttons on these capris from Talbots!

Even though I’m saving money, I still try to follow the one item out for every item in rule.  My husband would tell you that it shouldn’t be a problem for me – I have plenty of clothes I don’t wear!  

Ann Taylor - perfect for the beach!

I'm hoping we'll have a clothing swap soon - another great way to get clothes cheap!

How do you get good deals on clothing?  

This is linked up to:

Thrifty Tuesday - Make Your Own Reusable Sandwich and Snack Bags!

When I saw this I knew I just had to share it with you!  I love the idea of reusable snack and sandwich bags, but they are awfully expensive to buy.  Living a Frugal Life has posted a great tutorial on how to make these snack bags yourself!  I love the idea of using the ripstop fabric.

If you have an interest in making your own snack bags, check out her blog for the easy instructions!

Thrifty Tuesday – Reduce Credit Card Debt

I admit it – I’ve actually never had credit card debt.  I’m one of the fortunate ones.  Many Americans do have credit card debt – I’ve seen statistics ranging from $2,000 to $16,000.  If you are one of those who have credit card debt, try some of the steps to get rid of it.

Call the credit card and ask them to lower your interest rate.  You may have to talk to a manager, but you can often get them to agree. 

Next, stop charging!  If you owe money on a credit card, you are paying an incredible amount of interest on any outstanding balance.  Use cash to pay for your transactions.  Not only will you save money in interest, but you’ll probably find that you spend less money overall. 

Pay off that debt!  Starting with the card with the lowest balance, work on paying those cards off.  Once one is paid, put the money you were paying on it towards the one with the next lowest balance – keep doing it until you’re out of debt.  This is the hard part, but will save you so much money in the long run.

Once the debt is paid off, continue outing money aside each month into an “Emergency Fund”.  This will help when you have a car that breaks down, a house repair, and unexpected illness, or anything else that you haven’t budgeted for. 

Do you have any tips for reducing credit card debt?